Please Advise! Is Danielle Smith’s One Question Policy the Answer?

[Editor’s note: Steve Burgess is an accredited spin doctor with a PhD in Centrifugal Rhetoric from the University of SASE, situated on the lovely campus of PO Box 7650, Cayman Islands. In this space he dispenses PR advice to politicians, the rich and famous, the troubled and well-heeled, the wealthy and gullible.]

Dear Dr. Steve,

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced on Friday that as the provincial election campaign approaches, she will be restricting reporters to a single question with no followups. She earlier made clear she will also not answer questions about the ethics investigation involving her call to Artur Pawlowski before his pending criminal trial.

Smith announced the new rule at a government-sponsored media event. When asked why she was restricting questions, the premier answered, “It’s an election, that’s why.”

Is this a smart strategy, Dr. Steve?

Signed,

Mum

Dear Mum,

Smart? Perhaps. It's certainly bold. Dr. Steve is impressed with Premier Smith's lay-it-on-the-line approach. Dear media: Drop dead. I, Danielle Smith, could shoot someone on Jasper Avenue and only answer one question about it.

And how about that audacious rationale for the one-question policy: “It's an election, that's why.” Perhaps Smith means to distinguish an election from, say, a passport application. Dr. Steve once tried to establish a one-question-no-followups approach when applying for a credit card. Didn't work out.

“It's an election, that's why,” would actually be a fantastic campaign slogan. “Why have I interrupted this playoff game for 30 seconds? Why am I smiling in slow motion while actors look at me adoringly? Why is an ominous voice throwing insults from your TV like a poo-flinging monkey? Why is my government tossing money around like it was a dear friend of Clarence Thomas? You know why.”

Based on her one-question strategy there are a number of other UCP campaign slogans that suggest themselves:

“Danielle Smith: Ask me no more than one question and I'll tell you no more than one lie.”

“Danielle Smith: Snitches get stitches.”

“Danielle Smith: Invoking her Fifth Amendment rights. Is that a thing up here?”

“No question, it's Smith!”

“Danielle Smith is the answer. So shut up.”

Has anyone in recent memory been so forthright about the desire to control political messaging? Well, the Chinese government perhaps, but Smith surely wouldn't want to hold show trials. She has enough trial troubles already.

It will be interesting to watch the media attempt to circumvent Smith's one-question rule. What if they were to declare Smith's next appearance a Jeopardy event? They could give the answers and Smith would have to answer with a question. What if every Alberta newsroom were to get a Ouija board? Fewer rules, better answers, and they could skip the press events altogether.

Could it be that Smith is a baseball fan? This season major league baseball introduced the pitch clock — 15 seconds, make your pitch, no lollygagging. Perhaps Smith is just trying to speed up the game. Cut the annoying questions and we could wrap up an election campaign in a weekend. And of course talking back to the umpire will always get you tossed.

Perhaps Premier Smith is just thinking of the media's best interests here. Anyone who's seen a film noir knows when strangers start asking a lot of questions, well, it ain't good for their health. Perhaps after reporters ask their one question Smith will ask one — something along the lines of, “Do you feel lucky, punk?”

And perhaps Smith's one question policy will lead to something else — a honing of reporters' skill to a Zen-like perfection. Knowing that they get one chance and one chance only, each will craft the most penetrating, the most searing, the most illuminating question known to humankind. The public will hold its breath awaiting a response that will surely swing open every door and reveal every secret knowledge. And that answer shall be: “Sorry, I cannot comment on a matter that is currently before the courts.”

One question only — it's fitting, really. Every election is a question, a single question the public must answer. To be or not to be the premier of Alberta: That is the question. There will be no followups.